Limerick families angry after just 76 out of 7,000 regeneration houses built

Limerick’s troubled regeneration plan has left a trail of disillusioned and angry families in its wake.

The plan launched in 2008 carried a price tag of over €3bn with the aim, over 10 years, of replacing and rebuilding over 7,000 houses in four estates— Southill, Ballinacurra Weston, St Mary’s Park and Moyross. But six years on, just 76 houses have been completed.

It has been a programme more of relocation than regeneration with up to 400 families moved to other parts of the city and surrounding areas.

A small number of the families, it emerged, have brought trouble to their new areas, tarring everybody with the same brush.

It was initially planned that private developers would share the development costs with the local State. However, the property crash put paid to the aim of developers contributing up to €1.4bn worth of private housing.

The entire plan has now been reshaped with the State carrying the entire cost. Over €175m has already been spent with a further €300m earmarked to be spent over the next 10 years. The policy of relocating families from the four estates to other areas has also been terminated.

As part of the new revised plan, approved by Limerick City Council last February, 172 new houses are almost ready to advance to the planning stage. The delivery of 440 new houses is at various stages.

It is envisaged that construction work on 145 houses will start within 12 months. A further 1,500 houses will be refurbished over the next five years, with 50 houses completed so far as part of a pilot scheme for the larger project. The most notable aspect of the regeneration programme has been the demolition of over 1,000 houses of which over 400 were vacant and abandoned.

Brian Geaney, senior executive officer with Limerick City and County Council, said: “The new plans that were recently agreed involve a more modest and realistic regeneration programme. An integrated programme of physical, economic and social renewal is planned.

“This is effectively a significant refocusing of the original programme. On the physical side, the emphasis is on refurbishment and upgrading of the housing stock, selected new housing schemes, upgrading and development of community infrastructure and opening up estates and improved connectivity.

“There is a significant programme to supportsocial regeneration, address education, health, employment and other issues.

“In the new programme there is a stronger focus on economic opportunities, including social enterprise, access to further education, training and employment schemes for residents in the regeneration areas. We believe that this programme will be effective.”

Mr Geaney said the objective of creating socially -mixed communities with the regeneration plan was still valid. He added: “It is crucial that the economic, social and physical aspects of regeneration proceed in a balanced way. While we fully understand that regeneration is not only about bricks and mortar, it is critical that the housing quality is brought up to higher standards and a programme of physicalimprovements completed.

“The social aspect is of critical importance. Many have said this is the most important aspect and the most difficult to achieve. The problems are complex and it will take time to achieve the objectives of the social programme.

“This will involve reduction of social inequalities across the city, creatingstable communities with a good quality of life.”